APodA advocacy update: October 2026
14 Oct 2026
Aged care
Several recent aged-care updates may affect podiatrists and podiatry businesses.
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These updates highlight the importance of clear subcontracting arrangements, accurate invoicing and appropriate clinical documentation.
Disability
Have your say: NDIS Annual Pricing Review 2027–28
The NDIA is seeking feedback on its Annual Pricing Review for 2027–28, including a review of therapy supports and pricing arrangements.
This is an opportunity for podiatrists and podiatry businesses to share their experiences and provide feedback on NDIS pricing, service delivery costs and the sustainability of providing services to NDIS participants.
The APodA encourages members to have their say and contribute to the review. Consultation closes 1 November 2026.
To find out more and have your say, click here >>
Thriving Kids commences rollout
From 1 October 2026, the Australian Government and participating states and territories will begin the phased rollout of Thriving Kids, a new program supporting children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs.
The program will introduce additional early intervention and community-based supports, including allied health services, with full implementation planned for 1 January 2028.
Services will be introduced progressively, with arrangements varying between jurisdictions.
For everything podiatrists need to know, please click here >>
New member resource: NDIS Schedule of Supports template
The APodA has developed a new NDIS Schedule of Supports Template to support members providing services to NDIS participants.
The template is designed to provide members with a practical starting point when documenting agreed supports and service arrangements with NDIS participants.
This is an APodA member-only resource and is now available in the NDIS section of the Member Resources hub.
Access the NDIS Schedule of Supports Template here >> (members must be logged in to access).
Have your say: Ahpra Codes of Conduct Review
Ahpra and the National Boards are reviewing the Codes of Conduct that guide registered health practitioners, including podiatrists, in delivering safe, ethical and professional care.
As part of the review, Ahpra is seeking feedback from practitioners to ensure the codes remain relevant and reflect contemporary expectations.
The review will consider professional behaviour, patient safety, cultural safety, respectful care and equity.
We encourage members to help shape the professional standards that guide podiatry practice. To have your say, please click here >>
WorkSafeVictoria: Updated podiatry services guidelines
WorkSafe Victoria has updated its Podiatry services guidelines to provide clearer guidance for podiatrists treating injured workers, support billing compliance and promote consistent, high-quality care.
Key updates include:
- Orthoses: Clarified requirements for prior approval and supporting information when requesting orthoses.
- New fee schedule item: Introduction of item code INS109 for Medical and Like Entitlement Review (MLER) questionnaires.
- Treatment planning: Clearer expectations for goal setting, monitoring patient progress and supporting recovery and return to work.
Podiatrists providing services to WorkSafe Victoria patients are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the updated guidelines and review their clinical documentation and billing practices.
For further information click links below:
Contact WorkSafe Victoria via email: provider@worksafe.vic.gov.au.
DVA update: Changes to claim submission timeframes
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) has announced changes to the timeframe for submitting claims for DVA-funded health services, including podiatry.
From 1 July 2027, providers will have one year, rather than two years, from the date of service to submit claims. This change aligns DVA claiming timeframes with Medicare bulk billing arrangements.
What does this mean for podiatrists?
- Review your claiming and reconciliation processes to ensure claims are submitted within 12 months of providing treatment.
- Submit any outstanding claims for services provided before 1 July 2026 as soon as possible and before 1 July 2027.
- From 1 July 2027, claims older than 12 months will be subject to DVA's existing late lodgement process.
The changes do not affect veterans' access to DVA-funded healthcare.
DVA will provide further information and reminders ahead of implementation.
The announcement can be found here >>
Digital Health Resources: Understanding Healthcare Identifiers
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) has developed a practical resource to help allied health professionals understand and use Healthcare Identifiers.
The resource explains the different types of identifiers, including individual provider identifiers (HPI-I), organisation identifiers (HPI-O) and patient identifiers (IHI).
For podiatrists and podiatry businesses, it provides practical guidance on how to:
- Locate and activate your existing HPI-I
- Register an HPI-O and link practitioners to your organisation
- Use Healthcare Identifiers to support access to My Health Record, electronic prescribing and secure messaging
- Troubleshoot common registration and activation issues
As healthcare becomes increasingly digital, understanding and correctly setting up Healthcare Identifiers will help podiatrists participate in connected care and securely share patient information with other healthcare providers.
Explore AHPA's Healthcare Identifiers Guide resource click here >>
Regulatory
Ahpra: Managing financial and commercial conflicts of interest
Ahpra has resources to help health practitioners recognise and manage financial and commercial conflicts of interest.
Podiatrists are reminded of their obligations under the Shared Code of Conduct to ensure clinical decisions remain focused on patients' best interests. This includes identifying and disclosing potential conflicts associated with referrals, financial arrangements and the sale or recommendation of products and services.
APodA encourages members and practice owners to familiarise themselves with these requirements and review their current business practices.
For further information please click here >>
Updated Podiatry Board Guidelines on Health Records
The Podiatry Board of Australia has published updated Guidelines on health records, which came into effect on 28 July 2026 and replace the former Guidelines on clinical records.
The updated guidelines apply to all registered podiatrists and podiatric surgeons. They reinforce existing record-keeping obligations, including accurate documentation, privacy and confidentiality, and address emerging considerations such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical record keeping.
APodA encourages members to familiarise themselves with the updated guidelines and review their current record-keeping practices.
To read the updated guidelines, please click here >>
Ahpra and the National Boards new guidance on prescribing off-label, unapproved or compounded medicines
Ahpra and the National Boards have released new guidance for health practitioners on prescribing off-label medicines, unapproved medicines and medicines to be compounded.
The guidance reinforces existing professional and legal obligations, including:
- having a clear clinical rationale and appropriate evidence to support prescribing
- ensuring patients understand the potential benefits, risks and uncertainties
- obtaining and documenting informed consent
- appropriately documenting prescribing decisions
- considering continuity of care, monitoring and adverse-event reporting
- recognising and managing potential conflicts of interest.
While the guidance has been released in response to broader concerns around unsafe prescribing practices, it is relevant to all registered health practitioners with prescribing authority, so is worth a read for podiatrists with endorsement for scheduled medicines.
To read Ahpra's guidance on prescribing off-label, unapproved or compounded medicines, please click here >>
NSW update: Changes for podiatrists endorsed to prescribe medicines
From 5 November 2026, changes to NSW medicines legislation will affect podiatrists with an endorsement for scheduled medicines.
Key changes include:
- Prescriptions will no longer need to include the words For Podiatry Treatment Only.
- Additional requirements apply to urgent-use medicines and the storage, access and record-keeping of Schedule 8 medicines.
- Podiatrists endorsed to prescribe should familiarise themselves with the changes and review their prescribing and medicines management procedures.
For further information NSW Health's Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation update, please click here >>
QLD update: Health Workforce Scholarship Program
Health Workforce Queensland's next round of the Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) are now open.
The program offers scholarships and bursaries of up to $10,000 per year to support eligible health professionals in remote and rural Queensland to undertake professional development, training and postgraduate study.
Allied health professionals delivering primary health care are eligible. Applications close 25 October 2026.
For further details, please click here >>
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